Current-collecting device



8, 1930. D. c. HERSHBERGER 1,754,016

CURRENT GOLLECTIIJG DEVICE Filed Aug. 25, 1927 INVENTOR David GQH rshbergev" ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 8, 1930 AENT orricn DAVID C. HERSHBERGER, F TURTLE CREEK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WEST- INGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MIANUFAGTURING COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA CURRENT-COLLECTTING DEVICE Application filed August 25, 1927. Serial No. 215,393.

nomically manufactured.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a current-collecting device which may be actuated to engage the under side of a third rail while the locomotive upon which it is mounted is running or standing.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a current-collecting device that may engage the under side of a third rail whenprojecting thereunder from one side.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious andwill, in part appear hereinafter.

The invention is disclosed in the embodir ment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing, and comprises the structural features, the combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be 0 indicated in the claims. 1

For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation, of a current-collecting device embodying my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a view in section, taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, I have illustrated a current-collecting device 1 mounted upon an electric railway vehicle 2 and disposed to make contact with the under side of a third rail 3.

Inasmuch as the railway vehicle 2 may be of any well-known construction, I have shown only a portion of such vehicle comprising a wheel 4, a truck frame 5 supported thereon and a car body 6 that is mounted upon the truck frame 5.

As shown, therailway vehicle 2 is disposed upon track (only a portion of which is shown), the portion illustrated being a rail 7 that is mounted upon cross-ties 8.

The third rail 3 is disposed in parallel relation to the track rail 7 and is supported by.

means of brackets 9 that are situated at suitable intervals along the track rail 7 and which are preferably mounted upon the ends of the cross-ties 8.

The current-collecting device 1 comprises a supporting or body member 10 and a con tact-carrying arm 11 that is movably mounted in the lower part of the body member 10 by means of two pins, which are disposed in the arm 11 to provide pairs of trunnions 12 and 13. The pin 12 is disposed in the central portion of the contact arm 11 and the pin 13 is similarly disposed in its inner end.

In order that the contact arm 11 may be moved to projecta contact shoe 21 beneath the third rail 3 to engage its bottom surface, irrespective of the position of the locomotive on the track, and whether it is in motion or at rest, provision is made for moving the contact-carrying arm 11 in a curved path. As shown, the trunnions 12 and 13 are dis posed in cooperating guideways or slots 14 and 15 in the body member 10. The slots 15 which receive the trunnions 13 are disposed in a vertical position, while the slots 1 1 that receive the trunnions 12 extend parallel'to the slots 15 at their upper ends but curve outwardly toward their lower ends, which extend outwardly nearly at rightanglee to the slots 15.

It will be understood that it is not necessary to make the guideways 14 and 15 conform to the shape herein shown, since they may be made of ditlerent shapes and yet give the contact-carrying arm 11 the desired move ment to project the contact shoe 21 under the depending third rail 3. h

For the purpose of actuating the contact carrying arm 11 into and out of contact with the third rail 3, its inner end is pivotally attached to the lower end of a rod 16, the upper end of which is connected to a piston 17 that is disposed in a cylinder 18 in the upper part of the body member 10.

The piston 17 is designed to be operated by compressed air, and, therefore, the cylinder 18 is connected to a source of fluid pressure (not shown) by means of pipes 19 and 20.

In order that good contact may be made with the third rail 3 when the contact arm 11 is moved to its active position, the contact shoe member 21 is pivotally attached to the outer end of the contact arm 11 and is pressed upwardly by a spring 22. As shown, one end of the spring 22 is secured to the under side of the contact arm 11, while its other end extends out-wardly and presses against the under side of the shoe member 21. I

The downward travel of the piston rod 16 may be limited in any suitable manner such, for example, as by means of a set-screw 23 that is disposed in the lower part of the supporting body 10 in such position that its inner end will bear against the end of the rod 16 or the inner end of the contact arm 11. By this means, the movement of the contact 1 arm 11 maybe adjusted to suit the relative heights of the third rail 3 and the track rail 7.

The operation of the device is as follows:

In the drawing, the current-collecting device 1 is shown as being in position to collect current from the third rail 3. If it is desired to withdraw the contact-carrying arm 11 from its operating position, compressed air is admitted to the lower end of the cylinder 18 through the pipe 20, The admission of the compressed air moves the piston 17 upwardly and with it the piston-rod 16"which is secured to the inner end of thecontact arm 11. When the inner end of the contact arm 11 is pulled upwardly by the rod 1 6, the contact shoe 21 on the outer end of the contactoarrying arm 11 will be loweredand will be withdrawn from its position under the third rail'3. A further upward movement of the piston rod16 will not only turn the contact arm upon itspin 12 but will pull it inwardly and upwardly, by reason of the fact that the trunnions 12 are slidably fulcrumed in the curved guidewa-ys 14 while the pin 13 in the inner end of the arm is forced to follow the vertical guideways 1:5.

Whenthe piston 17 has reached its upward limit of travel, the contact arm 11 and contact shoe 21 will be fully withdrawn from beneath the third rail 3 to a position close to the truck 2, where they willnot protrude beyond the wall of the vehicle 6. I

If it is desired to place the contact arm 11 in active position at any time, air pressure is introduced in-to't'he top portion of the cylinder 18 through the pipe '19 and the above described operation is reversed.

While the illustrated example constitutes a particular embodiment of my invention, I

do not limit myself strictly to the details shown, since, manifestly, the same may be varied considerably without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A current collector comprising a supporting member provided with a curved guideway, a contact-carrying arm slidably fulcrumed in said curved guideway and means for actuating said contact-carrying arm.

2. A current collector comprising a supporting member provided with a curved guideway, .a contact-carrying arm slidably fulcrumed in said curved guideway, a contact shoe pivotally mounted on said contactcarrying arm, resilient means for opposing pivotal movement between the contact-carry ing arm and the contact shoe and means for actuating said contact-carrying arm.

3. A current collector comprising a supporting member having a plurality of guideways, one of said guideways being curved, a contact-carrying arm having trunnions disposed in said guideways and means for actuating said contact-carrying arm.

4. A current collector comprising a. supporting member provided with a curved guideway anda straight guideway, a contact-carrying arm having trunnions disposed in said guideways, means for actuating said contact arm and adjustable means for limiting the movement of said contact-carrying arm.

5. A current collector comprising a supporting member provided with a plurality of guideways, a contact-carrying arm provided with trunnions disposed in said guideways, a contact shoe pivotally mounted on said contact-carrying arm, resilient means for opposing pivotal movement between the contactcarrying arm and the contact shoe, means for actuating said contact-carrying arm and adjustable means for limiting the movement of said contact-carrying arm.

6. A current collector comprising a supporting member provided with a curved guideway leading from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position and having a vertical guideway in cooperative relation to the curved guideway, a contact-carrying arm provided with trunnions disposed in said guideways and means for actuating said contact-carrying arm.

7. A current collector comprising a supporting member provided with a plurality of guideways, one of said guideways being curved, a contact-carrying arm having bearing members carried by said guideways, and means for actuating said contact-carrying arm, said guideways being disposed to guide said contact-carrying arm from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position.

8. In a device for supporting acurrentcollecting contact member, in combination,

a contact-carrying arm, .a guide member for the contact-carrying arm, a curved guideway in said guide member and means for moving the contact-carrying arm along the curved guideway from its operative to its inoperative position.

9. In a current-collecting device for cooperating with a third rail, the combination with a railway vehicle of a current-collecting contact member, a supporting arm for the contact member, means for extending 0r retracting the supporting arm and means, comprising a curved guideway, for guiding the supporting arm during the extending operation to cause it to move outwardly and upwardly relative to the vehicle for the purpose of engaging the contact member with the under surface of the third rail.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th day of August,

DAVID C. HERSHBERGER. 

